Times of Change
by Luna Silvereyes
Summary: I caught her human parents defiling my forest. They threw their baby at my feet as they ran away. Instead of eating her, I raised her as my own. Now my poor, ugly, beautiful daughter is neither human, nor wolf."
1. One

Times of Change

Luna Silvereyes

A/N: My first Princess Mononoke fanfiction. I've had this idea for a long time now, but I won't let it interfere with 'Of Life and Arrangements', nor its soon-to-be sequel, "Of Promises and Perseverance'. Note, this story will be similar in structure to 'The First Legacy' for those of you who read it. Also, I couldn't find the names of San's brothers, so I'll have to come up with names on my own. The story is told partly in Moro's POV, her cubs' POV and even San's on occasion, so the storyline may be a little confusing.

The Beginning

(Moro)

I can still remember that day, even though it was well over a decade ago. I was somewhat past my prime, one of the few wolves remaining in my clan. My mother, father and sister were dead. My one living brother resided apart from our tribe, deeper into the humans' territory than I could have preferred. But being omega at the time gave me no say in the matter.

My mate and I had just welcomed our first pups into this hostile world. Our stone parapet high in the cliffs and out of the reach of humans served as the perfect den to raise them in safety. Two males, Kiba and Tsume, the last hope of our tribe.

My mate and I knew how serious the situation had become as we watched helplessly from afar as the humans killed my father, the alpha, leaving me in charge of our dwindling pack. My brother refused to take his position after our father's death, visiting only to bring us news of other wolf packs further to the north and west.

The day of our sons' births, I had seen firsthand the effects of the humans' strain on us; of the four pups I had carried, only two had survived. The two dead, nameless pups, I buried at the base of the den, abandoning them as I strove to raise our living sons.

My mate often left us to hunt the humans from their settlement they called 'Irontown'. It was due to our anger and hunting of them that my children and I developed a taste for their flesh, abnormal to what the Forest Spirit would normally provide for us. It was unhealthy, but we did what had to be done. We didn't prefer to eat them, since their meat was sour and tough, not like that of the limber deer we used to hunt in the olden days. But it became a form of revenge for us.

The drawback was the severe vengeance my mate incurred from the humans. Every time he attacked their forces returning to Irontown with rice or supplies, they were ready for him with guns and fiery torches that singed and scorched his fur whenever he got too close.

Kiba and Tsume would plead with me to let them accompany their father, but I refused. They had no idea how precious they were, not only to me, but also to our tribe. Then, my mother still lived and mourned the loss of her mate and my father for a long time. But she looked after Kiba and Tsume with me, and through her wise teachings and stories, they learned to hate the humans as much as myself. My mother and my mate would be alive long enough to see the little change I would discover, around two to three full moons after my sons' births.

Back then, I was more trusting and naive than I wanted, though it couldn't be helped. I had left my sons with my mother for the moment and had gone off by myself to hunt. It was then that I heard it; the unmistakable sound of a tree, screaming its final cries as it died. Unlike my brother, my mother had passed her gift of hearing the forest unto me. And it tore my heart to hear it. It filled me with rage and hate so fierce that I might have snapped at my own mate should the opportunity have arisen. I immediately forgot my desire to hunt and charged in the direction of the cries. I became filled with a determination to avenge the tree, to tear to shreds whatever had caused it pain. Mother told me this reaction was normal for the first few years. Then, after a time, I'd grow used to it and learn to mourn in silence for the trees.

But now, I couldn't think of anything else. As I grew closer, natural hunting instinct took over and I began to slink through the forest toward my goal.

Moving silent as a shadow, I saw them; a human man and his mate. The woman held something in her arms and I knew it was a human pup. It was crying and the woman was attempting to silence it.

I saw that the man was the object of my fury; he was about to fell a young sapling and from this short distance, the piercing cries were near deafening. Obviously, the man couldn't hear them, as he continued to whack at the soft inner bark. I knew that it was too late for the unfortunate sapling and that the most merciful thing to do would be to let the man finish cutting it down, and then attack. One the tree hit the earth, it would have died and its seeds will have scattered, continuing its forgotten legacy. I hunched down, waiting.

Finally, the man gave one final chop and with a single, dying cry, the tree toppled over, shaking the earth as it landed. I watched angrily and licked my muzzle in anticipation. Even if I couldn't get the man, his mate and child would surely be slower. I stood up and shook, stretched. Then, I charged out with a snarl, my hackles raised and fangs bared menacingly. The man shrieked in horror and ran to shield his mate, brandishing his axe as though he meant to fight me. I was tempted to chuckle in mirth at the thought of that simple axe penetrating my tough hide. But to do that would let him know that I wasn't simply an oversized wolf; I was a god and he should know that anyhow. I prowled forward, growling and snapping at them. They shook with fear, the woman clutching her baby ever closer to her breast. The infant continued to cry. The cries bothered me, as nothing ever had. I shook my head in discomfort and snarled at them. I wanted to silence that horrible wailing. I gnashed my jaws, anxious to bite off that little head and end that horrible sound.

They attempted to run away, but I parried their escape and darted in front of them before they could register what I'd done. The woman came tantalizingly close to me and I snapped out at her as the man pulled her back. He began to pull her away in the direction of their human village, away from the forest. I started to give chase.

But to my surprise, the man pulled the human pup from his mate's arms and ignoring her sobs of agony, threw the baby back in my direction. It hit the ground with a soft thud, rolling a few feet and screaming more loudly than ever. I was so shocked that I froze in my tracks and simply watched dumbly as they hurried away, disappearing along the trail.

Several minutes passed and I gradually lowered my head to peer down at their sacrifice. The baby was very little. Wrapped in a thin, white material, its dark brown hair poking out from beneath it as it squalled. I started to growl. I had been unable to eat its parents, but I could still make do with this pathetic little thing. It seemed only as old as my own sons, yet they were many times stronger than this baby, already. I opened my jaws to swallow it whole, and then stopped. To my shame, my instincts as a mother had begun to send pangs of guilt through me. This evil, innocent little…thing was too helpless to even fight me. Even the baby deer, standing by their mothers' sides just hours after birth had some chance against me if they could run. To be honest, this human pup had to be the most helpless little thing I'd ever seen. How could I eat it? My mate would call me weak. My father would have called me a disappointment. My mother would probably understand, but disapprove all the same. And I couldn't even imagine the reaction of my brother. Anger, yes, but otherwise, I wouldn't know.

I sighed and lay down beside the little thing. I lay my head down on my paws, casting occasional glances at it. Its crying had ceased and reduced to choking little hiccups.

A long time passed. Eventually, I heard the howls of my mate calling out to me from our den, asking where I was. I howled back, telling him that I was a long ways off, still hunting and would return shortly. I received no answering calls, meaning that he'd accepted my explanation. How could I tell him that I was currently sitting next to a human infant whose parents I'd just scared off? He would have asked why I hadn't eaten it, yet.

I looked down at the infant. It was so tiny, it could have fit on my tongue with room to spare. It was the size of just one of my eyes, and I was still growing, too.

It was then that I realized its eyes were open and staring up at me blearily. It was getting tired. Obviously, it was too young to know what a danger I was to it. Vaguely, I wondered whether it was male or female.

Knowing I had nothing to fear, I lowered my head to it and sniffed it. It smelled strangely…sweet. Not smoky and bitter like adult humans. Actually, until then, I'd never encountered a baby. Uncorrupted, innocent and little, baby humans were as harmless as the trees themselves. That's when I realized it; their elders and parents only taught baby humans their evil ways. This whole incident with the sapling must have been its first lesson and I'd put a stop to it. The baby human was still pure.

An idea began to form in my mind. I frowned at the human pup, still gazing at me. What if I were to raise this human pup as one of my own? Teach it the ways of the forest, such as the glory of the earth untouched by mankind, the taste of freshly hunted meat and the joys of running with the pack as one. Perhaps, if my reasoning was correct, the generations of evil inclinations would leave the human pup's mind and be replaced by the true heart of the wolf pack.

In any case, it was worth a try. And in the end, if it didn't work out, we could always eat the human pup, never to speak of it again.

But first, I would have to bond with it. Even as I nudged my muzzle closer, I knew that thinking of it was easier than doing it. I was still wary that the parents might return to see whether or not I'd eaten it. I gently pushed it with my snout. It started to giggle and I instantly yanked back, my ears flat against my head. To my surprise, instead of becoming scared, the baby pulled its tiny paws out of the material and started to reach for me. It spoke nonsensical babble as it looked up at me. I pulled my ears forward again and lowered my head to peer at it. One of the little paws touched my snout and I felt a shiver go down my spine at this unnatural connection. But I forced myself to remain still, knowing that touch was as important step.

The baby stroked my white fur gently, making tiny little sounds as it did so. Relaxing slightly, I lay back down and curled my body around the baby, sharing my warmth. The baby giggled again and snuggled against my fur. I was sure it would go to sleep. But I was wrong. It started to tug gently at the fur along my belly. I wondered if maybe, it was looking to suckle. I still had plenty of milk if it did, since Kiba and Tsume were almost passed the weaned stage and it would be awhile before I dried up completely.

It turned out I was right; I felt the gentle tug as the baby began to nurse from me. I supposed it was natural impulse for it that it learned from its mother.

I was truly surprised at the sheer gentleness with which the baby suckled. My pups had always bitten and fought each other and it was rather painful. But I barely felt it, now.

As I watched it, I knew that I was slowly bonding with it. I knew that it was one day going to become less human and more wolf to me if I kept this up. But for some reason, I couldn't imagine eating it, now.

Before I could stop myself, I lowered my head and licked it gently on the little tuft of fuzz clinging to its scalp. I supposed there was nothing I could do.

I was falling for it.

I had to face it. But for some reason, I didn't care.

"Very well." I said to it. "I shall raise you, as a wolf. You will know both the languages of your human ancestry and your wolf lineage. I will teach you the ways of the forest, and you'll become a part of our pack."

As I said this, I knew that my mate would disapprove and the human pup would probably be in great danger. But at the moment, it didn't matter. The human pup was still pure and innocent and I was determined to keep it that way.

A/N: I was told that Kai and Kahn are actually Kiba and Tsume, in that order. So I went through and replaced the names with the real ones. Hope you like it still.


	2. Two

A/N: This is the edited version of the other chapter. I hope that you still enjoy this story even as I continue to slack involuntarily. (sigh)

Two

(Makoto)

I was sure that Moro had been true to her word when she'd told me she'd been hunting. But when she returned carrying a human pup in her mouth, still alive, I had my doubts.

"Moro," I asked, "Are you going to feed that human pup to our cubs?"

"No," she'd replied. I was shocked to see she was careful not to crush the human pup in her jaws when she spoke. I shook my head, grumbling in suspicion. I scowled. "Then you are planning to give the cubs their first lesson in hunting with an easy target." I ventured.

"No." Moro replied again. I was beginning to grow frustrated. "Moro, tell me. What then, did you bring that human pup here for, if not to eat it?"

But Moro didn't answer me. Instead, she climbed the rocky hill to the very top of the stone parapet to the narrow crevice where our cubs lay resting. Shara, her mother, lay outside in the last rays of sunlight. I saw Shara nod to her daughter as Moro entered the cave and disappeared. I growled to myself and bounded up after her.

"Where do you think you are going, Makoto?" Shara asked as I approached the mouth of the den.

"I am going to see what my mate is up to." I replied respectfully. Shara was rather testy now that her own mate was gone. Shara growled and shifted her paws. "Moro has asked that you are to stay outside while she tends to the pups." She told me.

But I would not be brushed aside so easily. Moro, being the heir to this particular wolf tribe, may have been of higher rank than myself, but I still had a right to know about that human pup she'd brought back.

"I am going to see her." I said, starting inside. But Moro's enraged snarl stopped me in my tracks.

_"Makoto! Stay out!" _she snarled.

"Moro," I called. "What has gotten into you? Why did you bring a live human pup here?"

_"Stay out." _She repeated. "_I shall summon you when the time is right." _

That reassured me, some. But I was still angry. I turned, climbed up onto the stone slab covering the cave and lay down on the edge, staring out over the horizon.

"What has come over her?" I questioned silently. "Has the death of her father and the disappearance of her brother caused her to lose her mind?"

"Do not question Moro's actions." Shara said all of a sudden. I glanced down at her. "What do you mean, mother?" I asked.

"Moro has seldom made wrong judgment, even when she was a pup. I trust her instincts and you should, too. There is a reason that she brought that human pup, here. She will reveal her motives in due time."

Respecting Shara, I listened. But I was still on edge.

(Moro)

I had expected as much from Makoto when I brought the human pup back to the den. I had known he would be distrusting and hostile toward it. This is why I forbade him to enter the den, for fear he would devour the human pup when I was unprepared. I knew I was being slightly paranoid, but it was all-too necessary, as I would eventually find out.

After warding my mate away from the den for a time, I proceeded to determine the human cub's gender in order to select a suitable name for it. I gingerly removed the material from its body and nudged it aside. The baby started to murmur in discomfort at the sudden chill and I moved so that my back faced the entrance to the den, shielding the human pup, slightly.

Based on my crude judgment of what I knew from the day I'd seen my own cubs, it seemed to me that this human cub was a female. This made things even more interesting to me. One of my nameless cubs had been female and her death was more than a blow for me. I now had a sort of replacement for her. Several possible names ran through my mind as I gazed down at her. She'd curled her legs up over her chest and was trying to nibble her toes. It struck me odd how she seemed to resemble babies of the Ape Tribe. But I shook it off and concentrated. I wanted her to be strong, willful and brave. I wanted her to have the heart of the wolf, with the willingness to do whatever it took to stand by her tribe. But I also wanted her to have compassion and gentleness, the way a mother wolf would be to her cubs. Her name would be simple, yet say everything about her at the same time.

"San." I said. "That will be your name. It means 'True' in wolf speak. I want you to be true to yourself as a wolf, as long as the tribe exists."

I knew that my naming her so sternly was selfish, but it had to be done. Besides, such a name would also further her chances of survival in the pack.

I stood up, bending my head down to try to grasp San by the scruff her neck. But when she started to wail in pain, I realized with a pang that she had no scruff the way my sons did. It came as a shock when I saw the fresh blood running from the wounds I'd inadvertently caused. I rumbled low in my belly and lay back down, licking her wounds carefully.

"Forgive me, San." I told her. "I was unaware of this."

San continued to cry. I started to think about how different it was going to be raising a human cub.

My ears picked up the sound of footsteps outside and I snarled. "Who's there?"

"It is I, Moro." My mother said calmly. She padded into the den and peered down at San. Her ears pricked and her eyes narrowed. "I see." Was all she said.

She lay down beside me and proceeded to groom my ears. "Daughter, what made you choose to bring home your prey, rather than consuming it?"

"I will not eat her." I replied. I nudged San into the safety of my breast and nuzzled her gently. She giggled and buried her face in my fur.

"Why not?" Mother asked.

I paused before replying. I started to tell her the whole story, of hearing the dying sapling, of the man and his mate and how he threw their daughter down as a sacrifice while they escaped. Mother listened intently, never once interrupting me. I told her how helpless San had seemed, even more so than a baby bird, or a deer.

" I thought how evil humans can be." I told her. "I realized that maybe, they aren't born evil. They must learn to become monsters as they grow older, watching their parents. San is still pure, her mind still innocent of all evil. I can teach her to be a wolf, to save her from what she could be if I returned her to her family."

Mother nodded. "You are right, Moro. I see no evil intention in her eyes. Only wonder and puzzlement. She is learning. And she is accepting of you, Moro."

"But you do not approve." I said quietly. Mother started licking my ears again. "I neither approve, nor disapprove. As I told Makoto, you have seldom made mistakes. I shall trust your judgment with San. But always remember what must happen if what you seek to accomplish fails."

I nodded gravely. Mother stood up and stretched. "Makoto is anxious to see you and Kiba and Tsume are returning from the brook. I shall send them in to meet their new pack member."

I started to protest, but held my tongue. Mother was right; it was best for my sons to meet their new sister early on. The same went for Makoto meeting his new daughter. It didn't matter if they approved of her or not. She was mine, now and would always remain so.

I watched San as she snuggled against my breast, picking tiny tufts of fur from my paws. It didn't hurt, of course, but it was interesting to watch her tiny fingers at work.

I heard the soft, controlled footsteps of my mate, following by the clumsy, sliding footsteps of my sons.

"Mother!" Kiba called excitedly. "Grandmother says you have a surprise for us!"

"Show us!" Tsume exclaimed. Both of my sons had white fur like mine. But Makoto's fur was silver and had a bluish tinge to it, which they'd inherited from him. Makoto spotted San and snarled menacingly. I growled back, warning him to stay away. Kiba and Tsume crouched next to me and peered down at San, who gazed right back at them in curiosity.

"Is that a human?" Kiba asked.

"No," Tsume said. "It's too small to be a human. It must be of the Ape Tribe. Mother, why did you bring home one of those chattering apes?"

I started to chuckle and pushed San out of my grasp with my nose. She giggled again and lay on her belly on the padding of leaves, reaching up toward her brothers. They were cautious at first and sniffed her from a distance.

"Kiba, Tsume, this is your sister, San." I told them.

"_Sis_ter!?" they exclaimed in unison.

"Yes." I said. "She is a human cub I am going to raise to be one of us."

"Absolutely not!" Makoto bellowed. He made to reach for San and I jumped up, standing in front of her and snarling viciously. "Do not lay a paw on her!" I snapped.

"Moro, you've lost your mind!" Makoto exclaimed. "That thing does not belong here! Once the humans find out a cub has been taken from them, they'll come looking for it."

"Her parents threw her to me as a sacrifice to allow them to escape. They'll presume her dead." I growled.

"Word will seep out that the wolves have a human female in their midst. The humans may be cruel, but they are by no means stupid, Moro." Makoto yelled. "Her parents will realize that you never ate their daughter and they will come to kill you in order to get her back."

"Let them!" I cried. "Let them kill me! By the time they find out their daughter is alive, she'll be one with us, body and soul! She won't want to return to the humans. She will learn to despise them as we do, to fight them as we fight. They can tear me apart and throw me to their hounds, but San will be a wolf in our pack and you cannot sway me from this truth, Makoto."

We stared at each other for several minutes. It was clear I had won, but Makoto refused to back down. Finally, he sighed. "Be wary, Moro." He warned. "That human will bring us nothing but trouble."

With those parting words, he padded out. I turned slowly and lay back down, cradling San against me. Because of my stature as a god, I was able to speak the languages of every creature. I would first teach her the language of the wolf and then of her own people, the humans. After that, the language of every other animal would come easily to her. But with Makoto refusing to guide me, I knew I was nearly alone.

"Mother," Kiba ventured. "Is father all right?"

I snapped out of my reverie and looked at my sons. "Yes," I replied to Kiba. "Your father is fine. He's just under stress."

I looked back down at San. _You're safe, San_, I thought. _But for how long? _

(Shara)

I wasn't sure what to make of San when Moro revealed her to me. San was still a human, no matter how you looked at the matter. But once Moro set her mind to something, there was no going back. Moro had developed a maternal bond with the human child and she was refusing to break it. She'd even stood up to Makoto.

I gazed up at the entrance of the den with some discontent. I had a bad feeling welling up within me. I wondered if Makoto was right, that this child would bring nothing but trouble. But I couldn't waste time dwelling on it. Kiba and Tsume would need time to adjust to this, as well.

I had to trust Moro's judgment, as I have said before. Moro's morals were always stronger than her brother's, even when they were cubs. But in any event, I felt I should alert her brother of this phenomenon and just allow him to know. Though it was the right decision, somehow, as I hurried off, I felt like I was betraying Moro by sending the word out. I wanted to get far enough away from the den that I could call her brother and not alert Moro as well.

I knew my way through the forest as well as Moro, perhaps better. I regretted not having taught her as much as I should have over the years. In the days of my youth, the humans had grown overly abusive toward the forest and I'd been too preoccupied just keeping my cubs safe to teach them anything. Moro at least had a chance, but we both knew that with the loss of my mate, I wouldn't be around for much longer. I'd protected the Forest Spirit for what seemed like eons. Soon, he was going to let me rest forever. My own parents gave their lives to him and passed the task unto me and my mate, and now my children as well. It saddened me to know that my son rejected his heritage just to stalk the humans day and night.

I ran for hours, my lungs heaving with every breath, my spirit soaring along with my paws as I pounded through the forest, thrilling to be running and free once again. The joys of running free were the one true thing that wolves lived for.

Finally, I came to a slow trot and arrived at a cliff overlooking Irontown. I sneered down at them in contempt. This is where I wished to make my call. At this distance, Moro would hear me, but she wouldn't hear what I was saying. Her brother would surely hear it even from his position of who knew where.

I filled my lungs with fresh air, raised my head and howled, the sound long and pure coming from some secret place deep in my gullet, the essence of the earth itself, it seemed. My two graying tails lifted and my hackles rose as the call grew louder and deeper. I warned him that should he hear, not to reply, as it would only serve to upset Moro.

I heard the commotion below as the humans picked up on my howl. It scared them, unsettled them and caused them to panic. I enjoyed the feeling of power over them, even though I was too old to really do anything to harm them. Fortunately, a wolf was a wolf to them; age did not matter. If they knew how weak and painful my remaining teeth were, they'd laugh and scorn my appearance and seek to kill me for my tough hide. If they knew how blunt my claws were and how bent my back legs were from muscle strain, they'd torture me to no end with insults of how weak I am, now. With sheer strength, I'm capable of slaughtering dozens of humans should they come near my family. But against the constantly developing weapons they use, I'm useless.

I slowed my call and lowered my head to gaze down upon the town resting on the lake. I saw the fires going up in the twilight as the guards searched for me. But my coat, unlike Moro's, was pitch black. The fur around my muzzle, paws and tails was thinning and my eyesight was growing dimmer with each passing day. The guards down there would never see my dark fur without the light. In my youth, it had always been easy to sneak up on them, snatch them from their safe havens without anyone noticing. While I'd carried my cubs, I'd prayed they receive my black fur. But my prayers went in vain, as both Moro and her brother had been born white as snow. Their father had been the same, at least until the humans stained him with his own blood and stripped him of his coat. Even from this distance, I could smell his scent lingering on his pelt somewhere within Irontown. As dearly as I wanted it, I knew I could not have it. Suddenly, a horrible rush of sadness overwhelmed me and I howled again, long, loud and mournfully, despairing the loss of my mate and friend. I continued to howl long into the night, after the sun had set and the guards had changed positions. I heard them talking to each other, nervous about my calls. But I just kept on howling in agony, calling out to my lost mate, feeling my heart tear with every breath. But even now, there was nothing I could do.

Finally, I ceased my calls and, tails held low, turned to go back to the den.

(Moro)

San fell asleep nuzzled between her brothers against my belly. Makoto refused to enter the den with San in here, so I accepted this, glad to be with my children, at least. I knew Makoto would stand guard outside, though he'd only protect Kiba and Tsume. San's welfare was up to me, alone. I knew the minute that I brought her here that it would be a struggle, for both of us. She was still nursing and had eaten sometime before falling asleep. Kiba and Tsume found it odd that she was suckling when she was around the same age they were. I told them that because she was human, her body moved at a different rate than theirs. They'd probably be full grown by the time she was two years old.

I was determined to end this stage as quickly as I could, however. I had asked Makoto to hunt something small for me. He did so, grudgingly and I'd given my sons the task of tearing the meat up into tiny little chunks, small enough that San could eat without risk of choking. But she'd fallen asleep before I could try to get her to eat them, so I was forced to leave them in the back of the den until morning. I had no idea how her body would react to raw meat, since humans often use flame to cook theirs, thereby ruining the taste of it. But if we could eat raw flesh, than so would San. She had to. If she didn't, she'd die.

I sighed and lay my head down around my children. Already, San was beginning to smell less like a human and more like a wolf. That sweet smell was still there, and I prayed it would stay. That sweet aroma reminded me of her innocence that I was so bent on preserving.

In the distance, I heard Mother howling. I couldn't understand what she was saying; she was so far off. But it didn't really concern me. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, still edgy, but too exhausted to care.


	3. Three

Three

(Moro)

The following few weeks were eventful. San was still very much a baby and I was attempting to try to wean her onto meat.

The morning after I brought her to the den, I tried to get her to eat the chunks of meat Kiba and Tsume had torn up for her. They even ate a few bites to show her how it was done. Obviously, San paid no attention, but instead tossed the chunks around and continued to giggle.

This was going to be harder than I thought.

It was a full two weeks later that we finally got her to at least try a piece. It was a start, even though she spit it out two seconds later.

A few days after that, we had real promise. San finally consumed a small piece of meat and started asking for more.

Within a month, we had her almost completely weaned onto meat. I wasn't sure if humans were this quick in weaning their cubs, but it seemed to be working. San ate voraciously, devouring whatever we gave her.

For stimulation, I had Tsume, who seemed to be her favorite, take her out on his back to breathe fresh air. Kiba and Tsume were quickly growing fond of their new sister and, to my amusement, often fought over whose turn it was to take her outside.

But even as I relished in their bonding, I knew that for San to be outside the den was dangerous. The other gods in the forest didn't yet know about her. If they saw her riding on Tsume's back, they might consider her a threat and try to kill her.

Mother must have realized this as well, for she came to me one day while I was nursing San, who still required milk despite her weaning.

She lay down beside me and peered down at San. "She grows quickly." She remarked. I nodded. "Yes. But she eats well of both meat and milk. When she is old enough, I will take her to the pool of the Forest Spirit."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Mother asked concernedly.

"I am uncertain, but it's what's absolutely necessary." I replied. "San is small and vulnerable, right now and her brothers are the same. When she is out with them, they cannot protect her. As much as it pained me to say, I have instructed them that if they are attacked by anything, to leave San and flee home if there is no other choice. As much as I love San, they are strictly vital to our existence."

Mother nodded. "I understand, Moro. Makoto and I will accompany you when you feel San is ready."

I sighed at this and licked San tenderly along her slowly expanding hair. "Concerning this, I am uncertain of all but one thing." I said sadly. "That Makoto, my own mate, will not support me in San's safety, here in the forest. I must keep an eye on San at all times, for fear he will destroy her."

I nudged San with my nose and she looked up at me and for the first time in my memory, I could see traces of recognition in her eyes. Was she already forgetting her birth mother?

I proceeded to groom her while she suckled and Mother watched quietly.

"It's strange." She said. "I have never seen a human cub, so I'd always considered them to be as evil as their parents. But with San, it's different. I don't understand, anymore. It's as if my mother's morals and teachings are ebbing away all because of this tiny human cub."

I sensed bitterness in Mother's words and growled low in my stomach. "Do not tell me you are angry with her." I hissed.

Mother grumbled, a sign of calm. "Moro, do not fall prey to paranoia. San is safe around me."

I lowered my ears. "Forgive me." I said quietly. She was right. I was distrusting of everyone, even my own mother and sons.

San yawned suddenly and snuggled into my fur, preparing to go to sleep. I gently closed my jaws over her tiny body and lifted her up, setting her between my paws to rest against my breast for the time being.

I slowly gazed down on her. In such a short time, barely a month, I had grown extremely attached to her. I was terrified of even leaving her alone for more than a few minutes at a time. The way she was beginning to look at me, I felt strangely calm watching her.

Mother yawned and stood up. "I'll go up." She said. "I'd like to watch the sun set."

I nodded. "All right. I'll stay here. Kiba and Tsume should be back, soon."

Mother padded out, leaving me with my daughter.

Daughter.

San, is my daughter. I felt a smile tug at my muzzle. Yes. That's how it was supposed to be. San was and is my daughter.

With this comforting thought in mind, I lay my head down beside her and fell asleep.

(Kiba)

It was up to Tsume and myself to find food for Mother and sister San while Mother watched over her. It was fairly obvious to me and my brother that Father was not too fond of our sister. But we had no right to voice our opinions. Mother chose to stay with San as a way of keeping her completely safe. And yet she trusted us to take her out into her new home.

It was weird. Father always told us that humans were evil, cold-hearted creatures bent on destroying us. He said it was because of the humans that our tribe was dying. But San didn't seem evil and cold-hearted. Contrary to that, she seemed to be the sweetest thing we'd seen. When Tsume and I took turns carrying her through the trees, she somehow knew to hang on tightly to our fur and what's more, on the scruffs of our necks so as not to hurt us. We never ran too fast so as not to jar her. But she never ceased smiling when we had her.

I couldn't help but wonder if, when she started to talk, what her first word would be. I hoped it would be my name. After all, it was easier to say than Tsume's name.

(Shara)

I remained skeptical that San's human parents would just presume her dead. Everyday, I would journey up to the cliffs overlooking the lake and lay down, watching Irontown for signs of immense gathering. I couldn't be certain if San's human parents even resided in Irontown, but I vowed that no harm would come to my daughter and her human child. In this fashion, I waited patiently. I would sit there for hours, even a full day and watch. My keen eyesight allowed me to see much farther than any human. I could see the guards walking along the walls as though they were right in front of me.

Within my aging heart, I burned with anger toward them. They held a precious treasure, the pelt of my dead mate. I knew it was only his fur, but they had no right to take it. I wanted so badly to invade that horrid settlement and take back what was rightfully mine after his death. But I was severely outnumbered. And now, I was harboring one of their own, protecting it as I would my own cubs. I shook my head to clear it of such horrible thoughts. San was no longer one of them. Yes, she was human, but she was becoming more like a wolf with every day. She ate more meat and less milk. She was beginning to learn our language as wolves. Her baby talk now resembled growls instead of human words. She'd even adopted the curled up position Moro often slept in with her tail to her nose. Obviously, San had no tail, but it greatly resembled my daughter's ways.

Yes, San was quickly becoming a part of the pack. The only one left to accept her was Makoto, who wasn't around much, anymore. He claimed he was searching for a safer den, after having seen human hunters walking far, far below us. Moro doesn't believe him. She says he's avoiding San. San no longer smells like a human. Makoto should have nothing to fear from her.

I sighed and resumed watch over Irontown. It was daylight and I was certain I could be seen by the guards down there. But I knew there was nothing they could do to stop me from watching.

I stood up after awhile. It was beginning to get dark and I was tasked with taking Kiba and Tsume to their first hunt.

As I turned around, my hackles began to rise in suspicion. I heard a howl drifting toward me from over the mountains and recognized it as Makoto. I raised my head, pricked my ears and listened. As the call grew longer and deeper, my eyes widened in alarm.

"Moro!" I exclaimed suddenly. Fear-stricken, I started back toward the den, running as fast as my old, aging body would allow.

_No!_ I remember thinking. _No! They can't! Moro! _

(Makoto)

I couldn't allow this to continue. I had left the pack and journeyed north to where Moro's brother resided with a small pack of his own. They already knew about the human cub from Shara, but didn't consider it a threat. I told them my own opinion, that when it grew, its instincts as a hunter of wolves would most definitely awaken and kill what remained of Moro's tribe. At this, they began to grow edgy and nervous and her brother spoke up, asking what could be done to protect his sister and her cubs. I told them that the only way was to invade Moro's territory and destroy the cub.

There was no other choice.

(Moro)

I woke with a jolt when I heard Mother frantically calling my name. I got to my feet, hiding San behind me.

"Mother!" I called. "What's wrong?"

Mother hurried into the den, gasping for air and trembling. She'd over-exerted herself getting here. "Moro," she panted. "You…you must…take San…and leave! Take her and…escape!"

I growled in confusion. "Mother, what's happened? Have the humans invaded?"

"No, it's…." she struggled to speak. "Makoto! He's…bringing a pack here…from the north! He's going to destroy San!"

I felt fear rise in my belly and I whirled to San in alarm. She was still asleep, nestled in her bed of leaves. "No." I whispered. I turned to Mother. "Why do they want to kill her? She's only a cub."

Mother snapped at me. "Don't be weak, Moro. Makoto has never liked San. Be strong and either fight them when they arrive, or flee with San and leave them to Kiba, Tsume, and myself."

I frowned. Then, I started to snarl. "I'll fight!" I snapped. "I won't let them have San without a struggle. San is my daughter and I'll defend her, even against my own mate!"

Mother nodded. "Kiba and Tsume are old enough to fight, now." She told me. "I shall lead them against the outsiders. You will face Makoto."

I closed my eyes. "Very well. The den shall be our haven in this fight. The entrance is too narrow to get past me whilst I stand right here. I'll hide San far in the back out of sight."

I paused and turned to look at her. "She smells like a wolf, now. They won't be able to tell if she's here or not. If the worst comes, I'll take her straight to the pool of the Forest Spirit. He'll protect her, at least."

Mother nodded her approval of my plan. "I understand." She said. "I'll take Kiba and Tsume and wait at the base of the den. They should arrive by sundown. You do realize that Makoto has your brother involved in this."

I looked away. "Toro was always independent. He'll do what he pleases." I muttered sadly.

Mother turned and bounded up to the roof of the den to keep watch. I went back inside the be with San, knowing that her very fate rested in my family's will once the pack arrived.

I would never forgive Makoto for what he'd done.


	4. Four

Four

(Kiba)

I was nervous as I sat with brother and Grandmother at the base of the den. Tsume sat directly behind me, keeping his ears trained for the slightest noise. He could hear better than I could, but my eyes were stronger, so I faced the darkest part of the forest.

Grandmother warned us that sister San was in danger and that Father was involved. As anxious as we were about fighting Father, we knew we had to protect San, no matter what.

"Tsume," I asked my brother. He turned slightly.

"Yes?" he replied.

"I'm very nervous."

"Don't be." He reassured me. "We're skilled fighters. We'll protect our sister at all costs."

I nodded and turned back around. I could hear howling in the distance. I didn't recognize it.

That's what really scared me.

(Shara)

I listened intently as the sun began to sink low over the horizon. I knew that Makoto was fierce in his hatred for San and of Moro's affection toward her. Makoto wouldn't rest until he was either defeated or he'd killed the little human cub.

When his comrades began to howl, I knew they weren't far. I growled low, my hackles rising in anticipation. Kiba and Tsume picked up on my hostile energy and followed suit. I heard Moro start snarling from within the cave. Makoto had made a grave mistake in threatening San. By incurring the wrath of his own mate, he was going to see the fury she never let him see, the kind she unleashed on human trespassers.

My sensitive ears picked up the sound of trampling not too far off.

"Moro!" I cried. "They're near!"

Kiba and Tsume leapt to their feet, tails raised and teeth bared. I did the same, my fur standing on end as I prepared.

(Moro)

I heard it as Mother warned me and I stood up, nudging San as far back into the den as physically possible. San appeared to have heard the howling outside and to my surprise, bared her single growing tooth and let out a miniature snarl.

"Stay here, San." I muttered. "You are not old enough to fight."

I prayed that she'd understood me as I approached the entrance to the den. Makoto would have to make it past me if he wanted to kill San.

"They approach, Moro!" I heard Mother say from above. I bared my fangs, determined to let no one through. As of now, my own mate was my greatest enemy.

I saw them approach from the left, two streaks of white dashing through the forest at breakneck speeds. Kiba and Tsume never saw it coming as a wolf twice their size bounded from the forest toward them, knocking Kiba off his feet and going for his throat. Instantly, I realized their strategy, as my first impulse was to run to my sons' sides to defend them. Fortunately, Mother realized this as well as she leapt down from the rock above to defend them. She was much larger than the current intruder and managed to subdue him without much trouble by sinking her jaws into his back and forcing him to the ground.

As she dealt with the first, a second arrived and charged up toward me. Kiba and Tsume were ready this time around and attacked him before he could get too close, using their small sizes to snap and bite at him from different angles while he whirled in every direction, struggling to catch even one of them.

I could see more coming, but they were considerably smaller. I knew Makoto and Toro would be in there someplace.

As I expected, the smaller wolves stayed behind to make sure none of us tried to escape with San to the pool of the Forest Spirit.

My ears pricked as heavy footfalls resounded through the forest. I recognized these as some relation to me, but I couldn't tell whose they were. When the largest wolf emerged, eyes set menacingly on the den, I knew it was Makoto, flanked by Toro. With my children and Mother occupied, the pathway was clear to them.

As they started the approach up, Mother appeared over the rise and leapt in front of them. Blood dripped from her muzzle and I could tell from the scent that she must have killed or gravely wounded the other wolf. She snarled at Makoto and Toro.

"Toro!" she snapped. " That is far enough!"

Toro stepped forward. "Stand aside, Mother. This has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me. You are threatening my daughter and your sister. You may be grown and on your own, now, but I am still your mother. Stand down, or face me."

Toro wasn't foolish. He knew how furious Mother could be. He snarled viciously at her, swung his head and backed off sideways. Makoto, however, stayed his ground. "Now," he said to Mother, "It's your turn to back down."

He started forward. Mother willingly stood aside, as she knew she had no right to deal punishment to Makoto. Instead, she blocked the way for her own son and my brother while Makoto approached me.

Makoto and I were nearly level. I glared down at him, my jaws quivering.

"Leave, Makoto." I hissed. "Or I shall kill you."

"Moro, I have a mission to complete and you won't stand in my way." He snarled. "Give me the human cub!"

"No." I insisted.

"Moro, I am your mate! You are to obey me!"

"You ceased that status when you chose to defy me." I snapped.

Makoto snarled and approached ever closer. I was a little concerned, seeing he was much bigger than I and I didn't stand much of a chance against him. But the heavens must have been approving of my choice to spare San because at that moment, I heard Kiba and Tsume approaching from above. They growled and bared their teeth at their father and I knew that despite their size, they were simply too precious for Makoto to fight for dominance right now. The fact that his sons had sided with me was enough to force him to back down for the time being, for he could never harm them.

He lowered his tail and slowly backed away. He whirled and took off down the trail, disappearing into the forest. We had won, for the time being and San was safe.

Little did I know that that would be the last time I would see Makoto alive.

(Shara)

I watched from afar as Makoto fled into the woods, beaten by the simple betrayal of Kiba and Tsume in order to protect their sister, San. I knew that Makoto wouldn't take this lightly. But I also knew that Makoto would never return to the pack because of what Moro had done. I truly believed this to be her first mistake.

I slowly made my way back to the den, feeling this fight all through my bones as I limped along. That young snapper I'd battled had almost snapped my leg and I could feel it festering. But I wouldn't bother Moro with it. She was busy enough tending to Kiba and Tsume's minor wounds when I arrived.

Kiba whimpered as she licked a gash torn through his side that was bleeding heavily. Tsume lay asleep against the wall, whining in his sleep from what appeared to be a torn ear.

Moro looked up at me as I approached and whined shrilly when she saw my injured leg.

"Be still, Moro." I murmured. I gazed down at our broken family. "It will heal in time."

I went to the far back of the cave and lay down, carefully tender with my injured leg. It burned intensely as infection settled in. I knew that if my chances didn't hold out, this injury would kill me. But how could I tell Moro that? How could I tell her that I was to soon leave her to care for her sons and human daughter alone? That our pack was slowly dying?

I heard a tiny whimper behind me and turned.

It was San. She'd miraculously stayed in the centermost back of the cave, away from the attacking intruders. She giggled when she spied me and crawled forward, reaching toward me with a single little paw. I was tempted to feel anger toward her for dividing the pack, but then I remembered Moro's thinking toward San, how she was only an infant and would grow to be a wolf rather than human. I knew Moro was right in her ways and that no matter what she looked like, San was one of us.

As I had seen Moro do, I gently grasped San in my jaws and carefully pulled her over to me, nestling her against my breast as she was accustomed with Moro. San tugged at my fur and squealed in delight at the floating tuffs she yanked out. Of course it didn't hurt me. I licked the top of her head, grooming her as I would my own cubs. It came as a shock when I saw San crouching with her little legs folded up rather than lying flat. She was now sitting like we did.

I glanced up as Tsume hobbled over and lay down with a sigh beside his little sister. San reached toward him and tugged the fur around his neck. I winced as she fondled a wound by mistake and Tsume snarled in pain. San pulled back and stared at him in fear. I began to worry that she would cry and alert Moro.

But to both mine and Tsume's surprise, San crawled forward and reached out again, this time, tenderly stroking the fur around her brother's ears.

Gradually, San began to yawn and slumped against her brother, nuzzling into his fur and slipping into sleep. She remained blissfully unaware of the battle we had suffered for her sake. And while I wanted to feel angry with her, somehow, looking at her tiny body sleeping, I just couldn't.

(Moro)

I knew that we had possibly made a grave mistake in fighting for San's life. I also knew that Makoto wouldn't give up. Though I refused to admit to even my mother and chose instead to confide in San, I felt the tearing as our pair bond was severed. Makoto and I had been together for more than three summers. I had always felt that we would always stay as a pack. But Makoto had defied my reasoning. My bond with San had tightened immensely and to give her up now would surely tear me asunder.

That night, we slept fitfully, taking it in turns to stand guard over the den should any of Makoto's renegade pack decide to try again. We could hear their howls far off in the distance and it made us edgy. We could feel the emptiness in our stomachs, but didn't dare risk leaving to hunt.

San, now almost entirely weaned, began to cry in hunger. I attempted to suckle her to pacify her for the time being, but found almost immediately that I had gone dry after all this time, and San came up with nothing. The strain of the tearing of the pair-bond had probably been too much for my body.

During my watch, I fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of San and of glowing yellow eyes chasing her through muggy darkness. I could only growl and shove my muzzle forward in my mind's attempt to get to her, only to see her swallowed up by the dark fog. When I heard padding of paws approaching in my sleep, I bolted up, snarling and moving in front of my daughter. But I relaxed when I recognized Tsume approaching, holding the body of a small rabbit in his teeth. He'd gone out during the night to hunt for his sister. I knew this only by the pitiful size of the rabbit.

He dropped down on his belly and proceeded to tear it into shreds for San to eat. I could see him salivating hungrily and knew he was resisting every instinct coursing through his body, urging him to gobble the kill down himself. I was actually surprised that he managed such an agile kill on his own. His determination and will were quite impressive.

He gathered the pieces in his jaws and brought them over to San who opened her eyes as she smelled the meat and made cooing sounds.

"Ka! Ka!" she exclaimed. This surprised both of us. She was trying to speak.

"Is she talking?" Tsume asked me quietly. By now, Mother was awake and watching us quietly with interest,

"Yes. She is trying to say your name." I told him proudly.

"Ka! Ka! Ka!" San squealed, grabbing a sliver of meat and popping it into her mouth. She waved her chubby little arms and giggled.

Tsume lay down next to me and I was soon joined by Kiba and Mother. Mother lay down with a heavy sigh as she took the weight off her injury and rested her head on my flank, watching San out of the corner of her eye. Kiba and Tsume lay in front of me, Kiba's head on Tsume's shoulder and Tsume's head drooping wearily as he watched San eat.

San smiled up at us, her little face and hands covered in the blood of the kill. She picked up a piece and held it out to Tsume and dropped it before him. She did the same to me, Mother and Kiba before resuming her own meal.

We all ate our pieces gratefully, continuously watching her. During that peaceful few moments with my family, I felt closer to them than ever before. As we all drifted to sleep with San in the middle, playing with her toes, I made a silent wish for the future. I wished that times like this would be many between, and battles like our earlier one would be few.

For a long time, dreaming would keep me going, if only for my cubs.


	5. Five

A'N: Whew! I'm sorry it took so long. As for Of Promises and Perseverance, I'm having Celebrian-Gladiola-Elwyn look over the chapter because it's a biggie and I need to make sure it's just right before I update it. I'm just waiting for her feedback. Oh and Elwyn, if you're reading this chapter, I apologize if I spelled your name wrong.

Five

(Moro)

"Mother! Kiba pushed me in the mud!"

I yawned widely as San's little voice reached my ears. I sat up and gazed out at the riverbed where my cubs were playing. Kiba and Tsume were almost full-grown. For some reason, all the giants of the animals were being watered down and I somehow knew that my cubs would never reach my size.

"Tsume, watch out!"

I sighed and lay back down. San had already forgotten being pushed in the mud and gone back to tossing it at her brothers. It had been a little over two years since I'd taken San as my daughter. Her wolf speak was fluent and understandable, while her human speak, being much more complex, was shaky and babbled. San had no memory of her life with the humans and believed herself to be a wolf like us. But soon, this would all change. I knew in my heart that she couldn't stay ignorant forever. She had to know of her human heritage. And the only way to teach her would be to take her to the pool of the Forest Spirit. We'd soon have a chance to. Mother's wound had never healed after the battle with Makoto all those years ago. She spent most of her time sleeping in the den and rarely came out anymore. We would have to leave for the pool soon to beg the Forest Spirit to save her. Her wound was killing her.

I sighed.

Makoto.

My beloved mate. San had effectively torn our pack apart. Even now, what I had seen happen to Makoto pained me.

Three full moons after he left us, I heard pained howling reverberating up the hillside from Irontown. I recognized it as Makoto's and instinctively ran as fast as my legs would carry me to the hilltops overlooking the town. What I saw there nearly made me cry out myself.

I was too late. Makoto laid on the ground on our side of the lake, bloody and beaten with humans and their sharp spears approaching from all sides. Even from that distance, I could see that they'd somehow snapped his back leg in two. Makoto was struggling against the throw ropes they'd wound around him, snarling and thrashing even as the spears punctured his hide and he howled in pain to the sky. I could only watch as one of them finally drove the spear deep into his heart. A gush of blood erupted from his mouth and he fell silent on the hard wet ground.

My mate was gone. Kiba and Tsume's father was gone.

I averted my eyes from the sight, trying to run, but unable to move my feet. But even there, despite my sadness and despair, that familiar rage tore into me, searing through my very soul. I raised my head and gave a long, loud howl of anguish and rage. The humans paused in the act of dismembering my mate's body and looked up. I must have posed quite a sight standing on the hill, illuminated by moonlight and howling to the sky. With a single bound and a bloodcurdling snarl, I leapt from my spot and careened down the hill in a few short bounds. By taking the humans by surprise, I was able to scatter them by my lonesome and watch as they panicked and loaded into their boats and paddled furiously until they were out of my reach.

I padded forward to my mate, tails limp and ears flattened. I sniffed cautiously, detecting the smell of death all around him. I shuddered, resisting the urge to flee, for death was the enemy of all creatures. The smell of his blood was overwhelming and I whined softly. His dead eyes stared up at me, the old fury still lingering, even after his passing.

I raised my head and glared at the humans still on the lake, vultures lingering at a kill. They were waiting for me to leave Makoto so they could take him. Normally, I would. But this time. They'd gone too far.

I seized my mate's body in my jaws and proceeded to drag him back toward the forest, daring the humans to try to oppose me. Fortunately, they stayed on the lake and didn't come any closer as I disappeared back into the forest with my mate's body.

The truth was, I wasn't sure what to do with it. Humans buried their dead in the hopes of seeing them in some other world. But to the creatures of the forest, there was no life after death. We became the world around us, instead. We became food for the creatures we'd hunted, paying them back for their many sacrifices. We became the trees and grass and the soil for the rest of the world to enjoy. And then, we could watch as the wind as new generations arrived to enjoy what we'd left behind. A truly peaceful after-existence. But the humans were too blind to this fact. They destroyed us even after death.

I wasn't sure what to do with Makoto's body. It took me a little while to realize what the only thing I could do was. It was the one thing he had left to offer me after all he'd done for us.

I sank my jaws into his body, tearing out a chunk of flesh and bone. I proceeded to devour the body of my mate, thanking him for his last gift of energy and sustenance that would help give me the strength to continue my quest. This gift would also give my sons the strength they needed to defend San. It wasn't cruel, it was life.

Now, two years later, I still felt Makoto's strength roiling inside me. Having so much more to contend with, I had grown wiser in a very short time.

San was what humans would call a toddler. Her daily goals consisted of four simple things; she ate, she played, she ran, she slept. Not always in that order, but it was amusing to watch, nonetheless.

My pack was dwindling ever more. My brother had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth and Mother was unable to reach him. He may have ventured into the next region to find another pack, or become a loner. Either way, he was dead to us now. By deserting us in our time of desperation, he had severed all family bonds forever. I prayed my children would live to see a time of peace. I knew that Mother and myself would die long before such a time.

I watched as San chased Tsume all through the dense wooding and used her amazing flexible hands to climb trees like an ape. I began to wonder if she was in fact ill-suited to be a wolf. But then I reminded myself that had the apes found her in my stead, they would surely have killed her. Besides, her odd appendages added an extra benefit to her new life. She could do things to the humans that we wolves could never dream of. She could wield weapons against their creators. I had already mapped out her future and her first test as a member of the wolf tribe. She'd be able to use her humanity as a ruse to fool the humans, luring them into a trap until it was too late. That in a sense, would be her first test.

She was already comfortable with almost every animal we'd met. Soon, Tsume, Kiba, San, Mother and myself would journey to the pool of the Forest Spirit to both ask for San's blessing and to hopefully beg for Mother's life. Then, and only then, would San be allowed to venture beyond the den by herself without fear of death by another god. If she was accepted by the Forest Spirit, she'd be accepted by every other animal, some albeit grudgingly. They'd have no other choice. The Forest Spirit laid down the laws for our lives. Life and death belonged to him alone. Even when he walked, beautiful blooming flowers and fragrant grasses would shoot up from his footsteps, only to wither and die seconds later when he lifted his great hoof. He both granted life and took it away, often with no greater reason than to allow existence.

I yawned widely. It was almost evening. I'd soon have to hunt. Lately, Kiba had been accompanying me, leaving Tsume to guard San. She and Tsume seemed quite close and Kiba had become the omega male in San's care rather gracefully. But still, all I did was worry about San when she was so vulnerable. Just about everything in the forest was a danger to her.

"Kiba," I called. "Come with me."

Kiba glanced back at me, groaned and climbed out of the mud puddle where he'd been splashing about happily with Tsume and San.

"Do I have to come with you, Mother?" he asked. I snapped at him lightly.

"You won't be a cub for much longer. Ordinarily, I'd take both you and your brother, but San is too little to be by herself and your Grandmother is too weak to defend her. We must hunt something large enough to sustain us for two full moons, at least." I told him grimly. Because of man's invasion further and further into the forest, game had grown scarcer. That day, we traveled nearly two full leagues before finally taking down a large boar.

The boar struggled briefly, but we silenced him mercifully with our teeth to his throat. Our two tribes shared an uneasy boundary. We left them alone if at all possible and they left us alone in turn. But because unlike them, we wolves had to hunt meat for sustenance, they were still fair game, as a large boar could get us by for many days to come.

Unfortunately, even with my great strength, this kill was far too large to carry back. We had two options. We could either eat our fills here and now and then carry back in our mouths as much meat as we could, or one of us would stand guard while the other fetched the rest of the pack and brought them directly to the kill. The second choice was a problem because we were a respectable distance away from the den and my Mother was growing weaker by the day. But Mother was quite a bit larger than myself and required that much more food just to fill her belly. The largest chunk I could carry wouldn't be enough for both her and the two young ones. We were then only with one choice. Kiba would stay with the kill and I would fetch San, Tsume and Mother. It was the smartest option. Not the safest, but the smartest. Fortunately, there wasn't much else in the forest that we'd have had to contend with.

As fast as my paws could carry me, I raced back to the den, anxious to see Tsume and San alive and well, hopefully out of the mud puddle to make them easier to clean.

I found Tsume resting with his head between his paws, eyes slowly closing as San sat on his back and tugged his ears. To her, it was easy amusement. To him, it was sheer bliss. San and Tsume spotted me almost at the same time. Tsume was faster because San was still little, but in time, she'd learn to sense the faintest footfalls from the farthest distance her human ear would allow. Being with us would sharpen her senses tenfold, but she would never reach our levels simply because nature never intended for humans to be with wolves.

"Mother!" San cried, jumping off Tsume's back to approach me. I had taught her early on that it was bad for her to walk on all fours like us. If she was going to be at all useful to the pack when she was old enough, she'd have to walk upright like the humans. It had taken a lot of coaxing and gentle punishment to make her listen, but it had worked.

"San, Tsume, your brother and I have made a kill. It will get us through many moons to come. But there is a problem."

"What?" Tsume asked. San tugged herself up onto Tsume's back, expecting a journey. Tsume was quite a bit taller than she was, so it was a bit of a job for her to get up there.

"The kill is a large boar and too big for me to carry here. Our only option is to go to it. Kiba is guarding it, but we must still hurry, nonetheless. I shall wake your Grandmother. Follow the scent back to the kill."

As they started off, I watched as San instinctively clutched Tsume's fur and squeezed her little legs into his sides for better balance. She was already more efficient than most human children. I doubted that any of them could make themselves understood by their parents at this age.

I padded into the den. Mother was curled up in the back and deeply asleep. I knew that waking her would do no good for her wound, but she had to eat.

"Mother, wake up." I said. Mother stirred and growled in her sleep.

"Moro, leave me be. I know what you have come for, but it's no use. I am dying, my daughter."

Even though animals aren't human, tears still flow, though differently. I felt them. I forced them back.

"No!" I snarled. "No, you can't die! San needs you! Kiba and Tsume need you! I need you." I said the last part quietly. Mother painfully raised her head and licked my muzzle tenderly.

"Moro, go to your family at the kill. Eat your fill and enjoy the taste. Our times of plenty are soon waning. This bounty won't last forever. Gorge you spirits with memories of these days. By the time you return, I shall be one with the earth and run free with your father."

I knew she was right. Her wound smelled septic and she was in great pain.

"At least let me bring you one last meal." I protested. I was losing my mother, my world.

"No." Mother said, her voice weakening. "Don't tell them. Move them to a new den. Abandon this one. This way, I shall have privacy from spying humans. By the time I am found, I will be nothing worth pillaging. Grant me this final wish, Moro."

I whined shrilly and nuzzled her, knowing it would be the last time I'd ever do so. For the first time in a long while, I yearned to be a cub again, snuggling at her breast and feeling the warmth of her body against mine and Toro's. But those days were gone, never to be regained. It took all of my strength to just pad slowly out of the den where I had been born and where I in turn had birthed my cubs. I glanced back just once at Mother, her beautiful, wise old eyes glazing over with pain as she nodded me away.

Knowing if I stayed any longer I'd be unable to leave, I took to the wind and galloped away from the den, no, the cave. It was no longer our den. As I ran, feeling my heart tear into pieces, I silently cursed all death. I would find another den, but now, this one was Mother's tomb. How I dreaded telling the children.

I stopped a good distance from the den and collapsed, unable to go on. I barked and yipped in despair. I jumped up, I scattered rocks, I snarled at trees, I dug up the earth and I threw myself down in agony. Then, when I'd bruised myself beyond fast healing, I raised my head and howled long and mournfully into the sky. At that second, I felt a horrible pain inside my heart and then a sudden and terrible emptiness where there had never been one before. I knew right then that Mother was gone, and I was alone.

I forced myself to join my cubs at the kill. I knew that if I could make it to them, I'd be all right. I had to, for San's sake at least. I was all they had left, now.

But as I was heading in that direction, a horrible noise met my ears. It was the sound of a boar's call and combined were the snarls of Kiba and Tsume. But most frightening of all, I could hear San's voice.

And she was screaming.

A/N: Why oh why do I love cliffhangers? (sigh) Oh well. I hope you liked it.


End file.
